The defense also added and went through every reason why Davis feared for his life and fired the gun. He also got emotional multiple times during his testimony. Michael Davis of the Lonoke County sheriff's office are shown in this undated combination of courtesy photos. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. As I have said since day one, this was a tragic event and we all need to continue praying for those involved," Staley said. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. While everyone in the makeshift courtroom in Cabot was quiet when they heard the decision, they said a lot to once they exited the doors. He was my grandson. The two were test-driving the vehicle about 3 a.m when Davis pulled them over. Print Headline: Lonoke deputy fatally shot teen Hunter Brittain in neck, arm, coroner says. All I wanted from day one is for him to get a felony where he could not be in law enforcement again and carry a weapon. But we are going to change that. Alissa Marque Heydari, deputy director for the Institute of Innovation in Prosecution at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City, says it is recommended that if a prosecuting office is involved in an investigation, the office is staffed by prosecutors and investigators who are completely internally separate from the rest of the office. Arkansas State Police investigated Davis use of deadly force and turned over its findings to Fifth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Phillips, who was named special prosecutor for the case July 12. Brittain was up late working on the vehicles transmission before taking the test drive, family members have said. She said that is easier for larger prosecuting offices to implement. What happened the night Hunter Brittain died? Jesse Brittain, Hunters uncle, received a standing ovation when he called for an end to qualified immunity for police officers, a legal doctrine that frequently shields them from civil lawsuits for things they do in the course of their job. "[It's] going to cost him $15,000 to go home and be with his family, while we're at a loss. Due to that failure, I have terminated the employment of this deputy, the sheriff said in a video statement on Facebook. Are people gonna have to fear for their life again? Brittain was up late working on the vehicles transmission before taking the test drive, family members have said. Early in the morning of 23 June, Hunter Brittain was hard at work fixing his truck so it would be ready in time to make his construction job at 6am. The law states that records, files and information kept, obtained or retained by the lab are privileged and confidential and that only a defendant, attorney of defendant or prosecuting attorney can be granted access to records pertaining to a defendants criminal case.. Newcomb has said Brittain was pulled over by Davis because his vehicle was smoking heavily and an engine was knocking. Davis mentioned Brittain's 'loud' and 'smoking' truck, along with their interaction happening 3 a.m. Staley also said the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office does not have dash cameras on its police vehicles. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. They didnt say one word that I know of, he told KATV. I respect the decision of the jury. I didnt get into this job to kill people, he said. The teen didnt respond to verbal commands given by the deputy, Necomb said. After a short break, open arguments started around 2:30 p.m. The file includes hundreds of documents, including Davis' employment record, body camera footage from deputies and Cabot police officers who responded, crime scene photos and interviews with witnesses. There were no indications of drug and alcohol use listed on the coroners report. The report was first requested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on July 8. The report said that a sergeant with the Lonoke County sheriffs office who has been identified as Michael Davis conducted a traffic stop at Arkansas 89 and Tower Road when the decedent [Brittain] got out of the vehicle and got something out of the back before moving toward the sergeant, after which the sergeant fired his weapon. It wont require a recusal, Abdul-Bey said. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. At that point, that was within a couple days of the event.. Floyd died in May last year when a white Minneapolis police officer used his knee to pin the handcuffed Black mans neck to the ground. The family of Mr Brittain, who dreamed of being a NASCAR racing driver, was heartbroken over the shooting and called for full transparency from the sheriffs department. (AP) The results of the investigation into a Lonoke County deputy's deadly shooting of 17-year-old Hunter Brittain during a traffic stop have been handed over to prosecutors. Jordan King, Brittains cousin who was in the car with him at the time, said Brittain hopped out with the jug to place it behind the trucks tireswhich is something the teen always did to help stop the old truck. Its about right and wrong.. King, 16 at the time, said the teens had previously used a coolant container to stop the truck from rolling back. He told the state police when he was interviewed by them that he shot one time and why. Brittain turned into a nearby parking lot and jumped out of the backward moving vehicle and reached into the back of the truck, he said. Hopefully, Hunter and his untimely death will finish what Hunters brother George Floyd and his death started, Jacob said. Details about when the camera was activated and what footage was captured arent publicly known because Freedom of Information Act requests for the footage have been denied. It has been called Dr. Seuss Day because of this. Famed attorney Ben Crump named one of TIME's100 Most Influential People, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in. Michael Davis took the stand as the defense's last witness. And also justice for all of our other brothers and sisters dying at the hands of law enforcement hired to protect and serve us around this country.. Davis could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. And also justice for all of our other brothers and sisters dying at the hands of law enforcement hired to protect and serve us around this country.. Davis, Newcomb said. Larger agencies might not have the day-to-day contact with individual investigators, which you find in a small prosecutors office, Golden said. Michael Davis of the Lonoke County sheriff's office are shown in this undated combination of courtesy photos. The white teens death prompted protests in a region of the state not known for speaking out against police violence. Hunter Brittain, the 17-year-old killed by a Lonoke County sheriffs deputy in June, died of gunshot wounds in his neck and arm, according to a coroners report released Wednesday. Bodycam footage of an Arkansas deputy responding to the scene after former Sgt. Crump and Jacob also represented the family of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who died May 25, 2020, while in police custody in Minneapolis. You tend to know almost all the officers, it doesnt mean you recuse on everything. Graham refused to comment further on the communications when asked by the Democrat-Gazette on Wednesday. Hunter Brittains family has called for police reform, including an end to qualified immunity, the legal doctrine that shields many police officers from legal action when accused of committing crimes in the court of their duty. During the early morning hours of June 23, Davis spotted Brittain driving a vehicle that was smoking heavily and an engine that was knocking, Newcomb said Wednesday. Ben Crump, who represented Brittains family said: Hunter deserved better.. Many attending the memorial wore jeans and shirts that read Justice for Hunter, in a ceremony that included Floyd family attorneys Ben Crump and Devon Jacob. The civil-rights attorneys also represented the family of George Floyd, who died in 2020 while in police custody in Minneapolis. He remains free on bond pending appeal. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Prosecuting attorney, Jeff Phillips said the state is fine with the verdict but the sentencing wasn't what they expected. This is the ideal, Marque Heydari said. During the trial, King told the jury that Brittain had been working on replacing his transmission all night. Brittain was eulogized last year by the civil rights leader the Rev Al Sharpton, who said the death highlighted the need for interracial support for changes in policing. How much help are American volunteers in Ukraine? Devon Jacob, Brittains familys attorney, described the report as unclear. The prosecution told the jury to look at the evidence--if Davis was able to say, which he testified that he did, "show me your hands" and "get back in the vehicle," then he enough time to tell Brittain, "I am going to shoot you.". He also pointed out that Brittain didn't listen to his commands and that he unable to see both of Brittain's hands in the bed of the truck. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. The two government bodies work separately but lean on each other to take criminal cases to fruition. What happened to the officer who shot Hunter Brittain? Davis said mentioned several things that led to him firing his gun. Newcomb has said Brittain was pulled over by Davis because his vehicle was smoking heavily and an engine was knocking. The teen didnt respond to verbal commands given by the deputy, Necomb said. "Because the deputy failed to activate his bodycam, he has been terminated," Staley said in his statement. While it is difficult to wait for answers, it is important that the investigation that occurs is both fair and complete.. Five minutes into Rice's video, someone notes that Brittain is still breathing. The family's attorney, Devon Jacob said they aren't going to focus on the charges, but rather look at the meaning behind the jury's decision. Phillips was passed the investigative file by the coordinating office July 15, according to an email from McMahan. 1, we dont have situations like this very often, he said. Hunter Brittain, the 17-year-old killed by a Lonoke County sheriff's deputy in June, died of gunshot wounds in his neck and arm, according to a coroner's report released Wednesday. Few details about the shooting have been officially released over the past two months. An investigator with the Arkansas State Police was called to the stand after. The car, which had transmission issues, began smoking and was pulled over by Davis as it neared the repair shop. There is no body camera footage of the incident, though the officer had a camera in his possession. A key piece to the kit involves prosecutors clearly outlining decisions for the public. That's what this jury says, that's a strong finding," he said. But if we segregate how we react, then were wrong.. No. After Phillips announcement that a warrant would be issued for Davis arrest on Friday, the courtroom burst into cheers. He said he should refrain from talking about the case because special prosecutor Jeff Phillips, prosecuting attorney for the 5th Judicial District, was named July 12. Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Every state, every locality, is different, Marque Heydari said. who was shot and killed by a white Lonoke County sheriffs deputy. Hunter Brittain (left) and then-Sgt. The next day, the Arkansas State Police passed the investigation file to Grahams office. Brittains family claim the teen had been working on his pickup, and that at the time of the shooting he was unarmed, with only a bottle of antifreeze in his hands. The document says what it says, Jacob said. Melissia McMahan, who is the Brittain familys mail carrier and knew the teen since he was a toddler, said she had thought about the need for police reform before Brittains death but hadnt thought it was something her own community would face. While investigating the incident, Lonoke County Sheriff's Office discovered that Davis' body camera footage had only been turned on after Brittain had been shot.